Sunday, June 19, 2011

Pippa's Room

I finished Pippa's nursery a few days before she was born, but I never got a chance to post pictures. So I thought I'd do it now since my life is too hectic at the moment to do much of a real post.

This is how the nursery looked before:

World map on the wall, tan paint color, no valance, no style. It was our general purpose room--Big Daddy's closet, book case full of my travel mementos, extra boxes, ugly 2nd hand recliner, etc. So I had my work cut out for me, turning this into a girly nursery. I also didn't want to make it like Daphne's room, which is pink and green and yellow with flowers and butterflies. I wanted girly, but in a whole new way.

First came the beautiful bedding. It started with a swatch of fabric I saw online at a fancy (i.e. expensive) nursery design website. : It became the inspiration for Pippa's nursery. So I bought a few yards of that pricey fabric and then bought coordinating fabric from the local fabric store (i.e. WAY cheaper), handed it over to the capable hands of my seamstress mother, and this is how it turned out:

The birds and the polka dots became the theme of sorts for the rest of the decor.


Next I had Big Daddy print me a giant wall sticker. I got the idea for the tree from this picture I found online:
I made some changes and Big Daddy found some birds to put in the trees instead of the flowers.


Cute, huh? Pippa loves to stare up at the tree while she lies in bed.

By far the biggest project (for me, at least--the other big projects were done by everyone else!) was the alphabet wall. I saw the alphabet frames idea on a blog called Design Sponge. Hers looked like this:

So I spent a week or so collecting various sizes and shapes of frames from the local thrift stores.
I think I only spent bout $45 for all the frames! Then I took them all apart, ripped off the stands if they had them, cleaned the glass, and spray painted them. While they were drying, I measured the holes, found fonts online, and had Big Daddy print the inserts for me. Then I cut them down, put them in the frames, and laid them out on the floor so I could rearrange them 600 times. Finally, I put them on the wall. What do you think?


(Pippa absolutely LOVES to stare at the letters on the wall while I'm changing her diaper. The contrast of black and pale pink is so fascinating to her.)

Then I just had to add a few more touches. Once again, Mom came to the rescue and made a slip cover for the 2nd hand reclining rocker to match the trim on the bedding.


A lamp and some wall art finished it off. I still have one or two more things I want to add, but I felt good enough about the way things looked to put the baby in the nursery and not stress. I guess there were a few advantages to Pippa coming late.







This is the final product as it stands...



If I have a few spare hours over the summer, I may get the gumption up to paint the tan walls. The tan doesn't do anything for me. Maybe a pale blue? Or a soft yellow? Or maybe they'll end up staying tan because I'd rather be at the pool with my kids, working on MY tan. At any rate, there is a beautiful, one of a kind nursery where a modge-podge room used to be. Hooray!

8 comments:

Kristina P. said...

That is simply amazing! I wish that were my bedroom. I love the fabric and all the frames.

Rachel Sue said...

I LOVE it. Love, love love. It makes me want to find a room in my house to revamp. (and dig through the couch cushions for money enough to do it! :)

Mrs. O said...

Oh my word! I love it. Especially the mural.

Jen Hoppie said...

Wow, the thought of all that work kind of nauseates me. But it is sooo beautiful. How is it that you and Big Daddy both turned out crafty and talented? In my family, Craig is the only one with an eye for what looks good!

Charlie N. Holmberg said...

Wow. What an adorable room! So much work, but so worth it. Very creative--I hope I'm willing to put that much effort into my future house, lol.

Though I wonder, is there a reason the alphabet isn't, well, in alphabetical order?

Financial Aid for College said...

It looks GREAT, Arianne! But I think you are totally right about the tan walls detracting a bit. One must wonder if painting is worth the effort, though, if you only choose to stay there another year.

No doubt you and Big Daddy will make it look supreme! I do LOVE those funny birds in the tree!

Cook Family said...

LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! Absolutely amazing! You did a great job.

Sara said...

Ari, I love it, so cute!